Governor Sanwo-Olu pardons 209 inmates

TRACKING___Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has pardoned 209 inmates of various correctional centres in the state.

The governor made the revelation on Saturday, while briefing newsmen at the State House, Marina, on the update of the management of COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said in exercising the powers conferred on him by Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), he had ordered the release of 209 inmates remanded in various correctional centres in the state.

He said that pardoning the inmates was done to decongest correctional centres in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and was part of a larger effort to bring lasting reform to the administration of criminal justice in the country.

According to him, those pardoned include those above 60 years of age and those who had less than six months to go on their sentence.

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He also said that the pardoned inmates included those that have served 75 per cent of their sentence; those serving for misdemeanours and minor offences; and those with physical and mental health issues.

The governor also announced that the use of facemasks was now compulsory in public places in Lagos State and failure to use masks in public would attract sanctions.

His words: “As at midnight yesterday, April 24 (Friday) Lagos State had a total of 670 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase of 291 cases since the last time I addressed you, on Monday, April 20.

“What this means is that we have seen a 76 per cent increase in our number of confirmed cases within four days, an average of 70 cases daily.

“These numbers demonstrate that we are now firmly in the community transmission phase of this pandemic in Lagos.

“It shows that our strategy of ramping up testing, especially within local communities is working, and that this is not the time for us to relax or to slow down in the efforts we are making to break the chain of transmission.”